This disclosure relates generally to aquariums and, more particularly, to aquarium cleaning devices.
Keeping aquarium water and aquariums clean has long been and remains a major burden for people that own and maintain aquariums. Most people who maintain an aquarium have to periodically deal with the algae and other contaminants that grow over time in the aquarium. In addition to causing unsanitary conditions for the aquarium inhabitants, the algae can interfere with the visibility of the aquarium through its side walls and create a generally unattractive appearance for the aquarium.
Thus, most aquarium enthusiasts periodically clean their aquarium using an aquarium cleaning device. Conventional aquarium cleaning devices are typically hand-held devices that require a user to manually dip the device into the aquarium and manipulate the device around by hand. The user removes undesirable algae growth by physically scraping the algae off of the aquarium surfaces. It can be appreciated that such a cleaning process can be tedious, as well as unsanitary, both for the person doing the cleaning and for the inhabitants of the aquarium. Physical contact with the aquarium contents can promote disease of the aquarium's inhabitants and can also introduce contaminants onto the hands of the person doing the cleaning.
In addition to the tedious work associated with actually cleaning an aquarium, there is the additional drawback that the aquarium has to be cleaned on a regular basis. Indeed, it is not uncommon that an aquarium must be cleaned on a daily basis in order to maintain a sanitary and aesthetically-pleasing aquarium. It can be difficult and inconvenient for a person to fit aquarium cleaning into a crowded schedule. Consequently, aquariums often go uncleaned for long periods of time, which is highly undesirable.